"This parish is bounded on the north-east by Elwick Hall, on the north and west by Sedgefield, on the south-west and south by Stillington and Redmarshall, and on the east by Norton.
"Grindon Township contains 3345 acres, and its annual value is £3437, 14s. 8d. This township has not a village of its own name, but includes the village of Thorp-Thewles, and the manors of Fulthorp and Wynyard.
"The village of Thorp-Thewles is situated on the turnpike road between Durham and Stockton, sixteen miles from the former and four miles from the latter place."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan , London, 1894]
The monumental inscriptions in the churchyard have been transcribed, indexed and published by the Cleveland Family History Society.
"The population in 1801 was 325; in 1811, 230; in 1821, 255; in 1831, 309; in 1841, 285; in 1851, 267; in 1861, 303; in 1871, 348; in 1881, 345; and in 1891, 400."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan , London, 1894]
The 1851 Census Index (booklet 1) was the first published by the Cleveland Family History Society and may be of value to researchers interested in this parish.
"The Old Church, dedicated to St. Thomas a Becket, now a ruin, stands in a field a little to the east of the road between Durham and Stockton. The south porch is called Fulthorp's Porch, and conatins some sculptured slabs. This edifice having become much dilapidated, a new church was erected and consecrated at Thorp-Thewles in 1848, since which period the old church has ceased to be used as a place of worship. The church erected here in 1848 was, owing to some defect in its construction, pulled down in 1886, and the present building, dedicated to St. James, builton the same site, in 1887. It is a handsome stone structure, in Pointed style, consisting of nave, chancel, with bell-turret at the west end. The cost, £3250, was defrayed by subscription."
[From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan , London, 1894]
"The parish register commences in 1566." [From History, Topography and Directory of Durham, Whellan , London, 1894]
The Parish Registers for the period 1565-1938 are deposited at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/Gr).
Marriage indexes for 1565-1837 (14 kbytes) from the George Bell Collection of Durham and Northumberland Indexes.
The Marriages (1565-1837) are included in the Joiner Marriage Index.
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